Dear Church,
I am writing to you today, because I have another topic I want to share with you next week.
The final sola of the reformation is SOLI DEO GLORIA, which means "glory to God alone." The origin of the phrase is unknown, but one of the earliest uses was by the famous Lutheran composer Johann Sebastian Bach, who initialed most of his musical pieces with SDG (Soli Deo Gloria) to illustrate his belief that music should be for the glory of God. As he put it, “The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.” Substitute the words all music for everything and you have the purpose for all of life. Bach's habit stuck with other Christian composers, such as George Handel, who also used these initials on many of his compositions. Both of these men lived more than a century after the first Reformers, but they carried on the legacy of the Christian faith, by emphasizing God's glory in their music.
The glory of God is so central to the Bible that it's hard to know where to begin.
The goal of Salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone is "GOD's GLORY ALONE." Everything God has done through Christ has been "to the praise of the glory of his grace" (Ephesians 1:6), for God has declared (Isaiah 42:8) "my glory I give to no other." The whole redemption story is about GOD RECAPTURING MANKIND'S wayward heart, pardoning us for our rebellion, and transforming us into a people who GLORIFY HIS NAME.
God's glory defined
Phil Powers writes in his book Your Glory that the Hebrew word for glory (kabod) refers to "something weighty or impressive and was often used to describe something… important, such as a treasure." Similar, but different, the Greek word (doxa) refers to a "visible radiance” that reflects the beauty of the source. Together these words describe "the most important treasure on display for all to see."
There are degrees of glory (weightiness/radiance) in creation. The glory of man for example is greater than that of a monkey, and the glory of the stars is of a different kind than of the sun. But God's glory is beyond comprehension, his glory is a glory of all-surpassing value and beauty. In His love he is absolutely magnificent, perfect, and beautiful. In his justice he is absolutely magnificent, perfect, and beautiful. In every way GOD is the greatest treasure.
And God has chosen to reveal His glory to all peoples that we might worship and enjoy him as the greatest treasure. He is the highest & best pursuit, the one for whom we were created.
Some Thoughts on the Glory of God
(by the Reformers and those who followed in their footsteps)
Martin Luther was once told “this doctrine which you preach yields glory and all else unto God alone and not to man, for unto God we can never attribute too much glory, goodness, and mercy.”
Though Luther was far from perfect, I cannot think of better praise to offer a man of God. There is nothing more meaningful than that OUR WORDS AND OUR ACTIONS GLORIFY GOD. O that more people might see the glory of God in our lives.
John Calvin wrote “whoever glories in himself glories against God.”
Calvin rightly pointed out that glorifying ourselves is sinning against God, for He alone is worthy of glory. He is the treasure above all treasures. the beauty above all beauties, the sovereign above all sovereigns, the good above all goods. GOD is the worthy one!
The Westminister Shorter Catechism begins with this question, “What is the chief end of man?” The answer, “To glorify God and enjoy him forever!”
I can think of no more simple yet profound answer to the meaning of life. The chief end (or purpose) for man’s existence is to honor and enjoy God as glorious. Let me ask you then, do you glorify God heart-soul-mind-strength? Would you say your life demonstrates that you "enjoy God"? Why or Why not? How do the Scriptures help you evaluate whether your life is "pleasing to God?"
C.S. Lewis (who lived much later and comes from the Anglican tradition) wrote, "We are half-hearted creatures fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by an offer to holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased..."
Lewis goes on to say that what we are truly longing for is the Lord God ... everything else pales in comparison to him. All other "glories" are a lesser glory for we were created to enjoy his great glory. One day, Christ’s people will enjoy God's glory completely, but as for today Lewis writes, "the cross comes before the crown and tomorrow is a Monday morning." Until then we live in hope and seek to please God each day.
Finally, here are a few thoughts from Jonathan Edwards.
Edwards is probably best known for his sermon entitled "Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God" - in the sermon he describes the horrors of hell and urges people to receive the grace of God - but it is his work on God’s glory to which we turn now. In 1765, several months after his death, a book by Jonathan Edwards was published. The book was titled “Concerning the end for which God created the world”. In the book, he demonstrates from the Scriptures that the end goal, the reason, the purpose for EVERYTHING God does is His glory.
Edwards wrote “The beams of glory come from God, are something of God, and are refunded back again to their original. So that the whole is of God, and in God, and to God.”
Here Edwards is making the point that God's glory is like the sun beams which radiate so that all the world can see. God is already absolutely glorious in every way, so when we worship God we don't make God more glorious. Our part is in reflecting HIS GLORY back to him, like a mirror reflects back the sun. With this in mind, we can see how even the one who refuses to honor their Creator does not harm the glory of God for God still shines out, even when people turn away from him. In fact the ugliness of sin makes the beauty of goodness and truth and justice stand out all the more. Thus, God is glorified in all things, but most gloriously when we reflect, admire, & cherish his glory for then we too shall share in his glory. In this way, the glory of God and the happiness of the creature are one, for we were made by God to display and enjoy His splendor.
We’ve learned:
- God’s glory is His all-surpassing worth on display
- God alone deserves glory!
- We were created to live for His glory!
- We were created to enjoy God in all His glory (for He is the greatest treasure).
Do you believe this?
Do you believe that God is the greatest treasure and that your greatest joy can be found in enjoying him?
Make time to reflect on God's perfections, to gaze upon His beauty and praise Him throughout your day.
To God be the glory! Amen.
Your brother in Christ,
Matt
P.S. The reality of the glory of God is so central and defining to the Christian faith that it can hardly be expressed enough, yet it shall be an eternity before we have waded more than an inch into the boundless ocean of the infinite perfections of our Triune God. Keep on then, in what you are learning, that you may know the LORD and make Him known.
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